Portable electronic devices such as GPS-enabled wireless communications devices or GPS navigation units are increasingly popular. These devices are able to not only display labelled maps but also track and display the current location of the device, thereby enabling navigation and other location-based services. Map data for a given area of the world, e.g. North America, may be preloaded (stored) in a memory of the device, as is typically the case with GPS navigation units or, alternatively, this map data may be downloaded over the air, as needed, from a map server, as is typically the case with wireless communications devices.
In rendering a map with suitable map labels, a problem arises when a geographical feature (e.g. a region, city, body of water, etc.) has more than one possible place name. In certain contexts, or for certain users, one place name may be preferred over the other. For example, some geographical features are disputed, i.e. an international dispute exists over the place name. For example, the Sea of Japan is known as the East Sea to Koreans. For device manufacturers or for map database developers, this can pose a significant problem since the choice of one place name in lieu of the other may be culturally unacceptable or even offensive in a given country or to a given group of people. For example, a South Korean telecommunications carrier would be loath to market a wireless communications device that generates maps with the label “Sea of Japan” as this would be culturally offensive to its Korean customers. Similarly, a Japanese telecommunications carrier would be loath to market a wireless communications device that generates maps with the label “East Sea” as this would be culturally offensive to its Japanese customers. Using a single map database to service end-users in both nations is thus problematic. In addition to this specific example, there are numerous instances around the world of geographical place name disputes. A method of displaying maps that takes these naming disputes into account would thus be highly desirable.
It will be noted that throughout the appended drawings, like features are identified by like reference numerals.